A quote from todays Hindu report by Anant parthasarathy http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/24/stories/2008092461930300.htm

Naresh Gupta, Sr. Vice President, Print & Publishing Business Unit Adobe, and Managing Director, Adobe India, a leader of the imaging software and solutions business, says: "We believe in safeguarding of intellectual property rights. Adobe invests significant resources towards innovation and we expect protection of our Intellectual Property Rights, to be able to sustain business."

The position of Adobe on software patents in 1994 published by James Huggins is here http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/software_patent_adobe.htm

Let me make my position on the patentability of software clear. *I believe that software per se should not be allowed patent protection*. I take this position as the creator of software and as the beneficiary of the rewards that innovative software can bring in the marketplace. I do not take this position because I or my company are eager to steal the ideas of others in our industry. Adobe has built its business by creating new markets with new software. We take this position because it is the best policy for maintaining a healthy software industry, where innovation can prosper.

The problems inherent in certain aspects of the patent process for software-related inventions are well-known, the difficulties of finding and citing prior art, the problems of obviousness, the difficulties of adequate specifications for software are a few of those problems. However, *I argue that software should not be patented, not because it is difficult to do so, but because it is wrong to do so.*

In summary, these are my main points:

* the software industry thrived without patents, creating its fundamental base in an era of no software patents; * software patents harm the industry, with no corresponding benefit; * software embodies mathematical algorithms; * the law, starting with the Constitution, argues against patents for software-related inventions; * and last, the proper form of protection for software is copyright.

I strongly feel we need to write an Open letter to Adobe asking for its policy change.

Anivar Aravind http://anivar.movingrepublic.org

-- Any responsible politician should be encouraging a home grown FOSS industry because it creates the basis for future jobs. Learning Windows is like learning to eat every meal at McDonalds.